Blue Line construction: Forest Park branch now making all stops amid rail project
Blue Line stops reopen after track work
CHICAGO (WLS) -- CTA Blue Line riders will no longer need to use shuttle buses to get to Forest Park, as the project to rebuild track and stations continues.
Tracks have been replaced along part of the Forest Park branch between LaSalle and the Illinois Medical District.
That means that stations at Clinton, UIC-Halsted and Racine are back open. Riders will no longer have to ride between them in shuttle buses for the first time since July.
The CTA said the 3 miles of track were rebuilt in just 11 weeks -- on-time and on-budget.
The $268 million project continues. It includes reconstruction of the Racine main station entrance and auxiliary entrance, as well as construction of the new Morgan substation, which is expected to continue in 2024 and 2025. Some weekend line-cuts and other disruptions should be expected, the CTA said.
CTA sequenced the project to complete the track work with bus shuttle support, and then complete the signal work with trains running. Trains will run temporarily at a reduced speed between LaSalle and the Illinois Medical District and then gradually increase up to the posted speed. The full speed restoration is anticipated by the end of this year, the CTA said.
